Crime rates are down on a national level. but locally we are seeing crime rates that are higher than ever! According to the FBI, in 2014, there were an estimated 1,729,806 burglaries or about 5.43 per 1,000. Locally we had 1,834 or about 9.30 per 1,000, almost double the national average. Keeping your home and family safe has never been so important. Enjoy these tips to help secure your home, feel free to share with friends and family!

1. Have a meeting with your family

Having your entire family on the same page about the security of your home should be your most important routine.

Use door and window locks. It costs nothing and takes little energy. Make it a habit to lock every door and window when leaving, after entering, and before bedtime.

Do not open the door to uninvited or unwelcome visitors. (invest in a ring doorbell, so you can see and speak with visitors, without ever opening your door)

Close and lock the garage door.

Secure your home even if you’re doing work around the house and yard.

Use your alarm system all the time, even when you take a quick trip to the store or visit next-door neighbors.

2. Check all windows & locks

Are the window locks operable? If not, get them fixed or replace them. Also consider installing aftermarket window locks, which let you open the window a few inches while still keeping it secure (found here). Another alternative is to add glass break detection to your current system.

3. Check all doors

Inspect your front, side, and back doors. Replace hollow (low-quality and easy-to-breach) doors with solid-core (made of wood or metal) or metal-clad doors. Sliding-glass doors have a latch to close them, but are often an easy point of entry for burglars. To make one more secure, place a wood dowel cut to size or an adjustable safety bar in the interior floor track, or consider adding a floor bolt. Electric garage doors are not a common point of entry—assuming they are closed. “I can drive you down almost any street in America and find a garage door that is open and the inner door is unlocked,” McGoey says. “Homeowners have to treat all the doors like the front door and close it.”

4. Replace weak locks

Locks are the weakest point on a door. Make sure you have a grade 1 or grade 2 dead-bolt lock that penetrates the door frame. It’s not necessary to get one at a specialty locksmith; these can be purchased at a big-box home store. The strike plate—the stationary piece that the bolt enters—must be heavy duty, made of solid metal or brass, with six three-inch-long screws that penetrate the door jamb and the door frame.

5. Consider home automation

Home automation allows you to remotely control different aspects of your home. Lights, locks, thermostats and appliance modules can give the appearance that you're home even when you are away. This is a great option for when you're on vacation or while at work so potential intruders think someone is home.